Ship Of Dreams
by Katherine997
Summary: In April 10, 1912, the 16 years old Alexis DeWitt Bukater was boarding the 'Titanic' along with her 18 years old sister, Rose, her mother Ruth, and her sister's fiancé, Caledon, to go to America. When she meet a certain third class boy, her boring life that she wished she could change, finally did.
1. Ch 1 - The Titanic

_April 10, 1912_

This was it. This was the day we are going to sail in the Titanic to America. I watched as the door of our Renault opened and my sister, Rose hold her hand out, and the driver took her hand to help her out.

I climbed out right after she was out of the way and looked up at the grand ship that sat at the dock. The Titanic. It was really incredibly beautiful.

"I don't see what all the fuss is about. It doesn't look any bigger than the Mauretania," Rose said. I rolled my eyes at it, she was always been hard to impress.

My sister's fiancé, Caledon climbed out from the other side and glanced at my sister, "You can be blase about some things, Rose, but not about Titanic," He said, "It's over a hundred feet longer than Mauretania, and far more luxurious. It has squash courts, a Parisian cafe . . . even Turkish baths."

He turned and hold his hand out for my mother. She took it and climbed out as he spoke to her, "Your daughter is much too hard to impress, Ruth." I sighed softly, "You got that right," I muttered yet my sister heard me. She gave me a playfully hit on my arm, making me smile.

"So this is the ship they say is unsinkable," Mother said. "It is unsinkable. God himself couldn't sink this ship," Caledon said before me, Rose and my mother walked to the other side.

"We'd better hurry. This way, ladies," Caledon said after he looked at his pocket watch. We walked past the health check that the other class have to go through, and we walked up the gang plank that lead to the ship.

As I walked first with mother, I glanced over my shoulder at Rose and knew what she felt; trapped. She didn't want to marry Caledon. She was forced to because the money was gone. After my father died last year, mother found out he left us with nothing.

But a girl who looked like Rose wouldn't have any problems finding a decent man to marry. She was beautiful; she had a red curled hair and lovely blue-green eyes. She looked like mother actually. I looked like father as I have brown hair and so did he.

I had a very close relationship with father while with my mother I was never close or good to impress. She always looked for something to scold me. Besides my close relationship with father, I had a close one with Rose, my sister always put me first instead. She always wanted the best for me while I always wanted the same for her. That was why I told her she shouldn't marry Caledon if she didn't love him and find someone better. But because of our mother, she didn't have a choice.

Our party boarded the luxurious ocean liner and we made our way down the halls until we found our room. It was really lovely with it's red brown walls and gold highlights. It was overall fit for royalty and to be honest I was fine with a second or third class room but that wasn't how Caledon travels.

There was a sudden jolt that shook the room, which meant that we started to move. I went from my room to the living room to see the servants moving around, placing our stuff in places while Rose was looking at one of her marvelous paintings.

"Is it this one, Miss?" Trudy, her maid asked. "No, it had a lot of faces on it," Rose said. I chuckled, walking in, "They all have too many faces on, sister. That's the beauty of it."

She chuckled, shaking her head before holding up a marvelous painting of people standing next to each other. "This is the one," She said.

"Would you like all of the out, Miss?" Another maid asked. "Yes, we need a little colour in this room," Rose said, starting at the painting she was holding and I went to stand beside her, looking at the painting as well.

"Who painted them?" My maid, Julia asked. "Picasso," I replied. "God, not those finger paintings again," Caledon spoke from his spot at the doorway, "They certainly were a waste of money." He took a sip from his champagne and I rolled my eyes.

"The difference between Cal's taste in art and mine is that I have some," Rose said and I smirked. "They're fascinating," I said, "Like being inside a dream or something."

"Mmm-mm," Rose hummed in agreement, placing a hand on my shoulder. "There's truth but no logic," She added. "At least they were cheap," Caledon said, walking in.

I rolled my eyes and shared a look with Rose before she wrapped her arm around my shoulder, "Come along, sister, we have much more things to do," She said before leading me and our two maids out.


	2. Ch 2 - Don't Let Me Fall

By the next afternoon, we were streaming down by the coast of Ireland with nothing out ahead of us but the ocean. All I have been doing all day was meeting people and distant friends of my mother and Caledon, and thought about the same thing that I was thinking even since I was a child; to scream and shout in joy because I would be free.

 _Free_

That was the only thing I wanted my whole life, but unfortunately it was something I could never have because I was born into the wretched first class society, and that was where I would stay. For the rest of my lonely and boring life. And here I was, sitting in between my mother and Rose in the lunching room of the Titanic, wearing a tight dress, surrounded by the other 1st class passengers that my mother associates with. Margaret Brown, who everyone called her Molly, my mother called her 'New Money', Mr. Ismay, the manager of White Star Line, and Mr. Andrews, the ship designer.

"She is the largest moving object make by the and of man in all history," Mr. Ismay said, proudly, "And our master ship builder, Mr. Andrews, here designed her from the keel plates up."

"Well, I may have knocked her together but the idea was Mr. Ismay's. He envisioned a steamer so grand in scale and so luxurious that the supremacy would never be challenged, and here she is," Mr. Andrews said, slapping the table slightly, "Willed into solid reality." Everyone laughed after this, pleased with his answered. I took out my pipe and put a cigarette on it, taking a long drag in and out.

"You know I don't like that, Alexis," My mother said but I shrugged her off. "She knows," Caledon said as he took the lit cigarette from me and pushed it into the ash tray. I glared at him before rolling my eyes.

A waiter came over to our table and Caledon looked at him, "The three of us will have the lamb, rare and with very little mint sauce," He ordered for me, him and Rose. The waiter walked away and Caledon looked at me and Rose, "You like lamb, right girls?"

Rose just smiled at her fiancé and I gave him a fake small one, "Nope," I said and my mother cleared her throat, giving me a stern look. I glanced at her before back at Caledon, "Still no."

Rose glanced down, trying to hid a smile and I looked back forwards. "You gonna cut their meat for them too there, Cal?" Molly asked in a joking manner, but after getting a stony glare from Caledon, she quickly changed the subject, "Hey, who thought of the name 'Titanic'?" She looked at Mr. Ismay, "Was it you, Bruce?"

"Yes actually, I wanted to convey sheer size, and size means stability, luxury and above all strength," Mr. Ismay replied. "Do you know of Doctor Freud, Mr. Ismay?" I asked, "His ideas about the male preoccupation with size might be a particular interest to you." I looked around the table to see Molly smirking while Mr. Andrew smiled, holding back his laugh.

"What's gotten into you, Lexis?" Rose asked quietly, glancing worriedly at our mother's direction, who just stared at me with sheer surprise. "Excuse me," I said politely, getting up from my chair and then walked out of the cramped room.

I walked down the beautiful promenade desk for first and second class passengers, the sun was shining. I let out a sigh of relief to be outside, to let the wind blow my hair slightly. I listened as the water splashed against the steel plates of the ship, the laughing of the third class children. I rested my arms on the railing and stared straight ahead.

But then, I felt eyes on me and I looked down to see a handsome young man, no more then nineteen or twenty, staring up at me while sitting with two other men. I quickly looked away because it wasn't polite to stare. But as I looked back at the ocean in front of me, something kept drawing me back to the man's eyes and when I glanced back at him, I saw he was still staring at me.

The man that was sitting beside him chuckled, waving his hand in front of the man that was staring at me but he kept looking. I looked away from him as I felt a hand on my arm. I looked over to see it was Caledon, "Your behavior was unacceptable," He said, "What's wrong with you, Alexis?"

"Nothing," I muttered, rolling my eyes before I saw Rose walking over. She placed her hands on my shoulders as she looked over at Caledon, "I'll take care of this." With that she lead me away and led me to our room.

... ...

I was dressed for dinner, sitting between Rose and mother in the grand dining area along with all the other 1st class passengers. As I sat there, I realized what my whole life was, an endless parade of parties and eventually being a trophy wife. My life was already been lived. I was going to end up like Rose. And I didn't want to live like that.

"Alexis, dear you looking quite pale, are you alright?" I glanced slightly in shock when I heard it was Caledon who noticed I was lost in thoughts, looking over Rose at me in sincere worry.

"Um, no actually, I think I might go back to lay down," I said as Rose glanced over at me worriedly. I gave her a small smile before getting up and heading back to my room.

I attempted to undo my dress and corset but had no such results, I sat down on my bed, letting out a tired sigh before pulling out all the pins out of my hair. I let out a sniff, a tear fell down and slid down my cheek. I swallowed before blinking, I couldn't keep doing it.

 _I would never be free._

To get my dream come true, there was only one way to do it.

I ran aimlessly through the decks of the ship and ignored the chilly breeze on my bare skin, and just kept running. I ran past people, who looked appalled that a young woman would show such emotion in public but I didn't care about it.

 _It would all be over soon._

I kept running and somehow winded up in the third class area, and passed someone on a bench blowing smoke into the breeze while star gazing. I stopped running when I reached the end of the ship and glanced down on the water. I looked back to make sure no one was there before I climbed the railing that stopped people from plummeting into the water that rushed below. I took one final shaky breath and leaning over the cool water.

" _Don't do it._ "

I whipped around slightly when I heard an American accent, to see the handsome man that stared at me earlier that day. "Stay back," I said, "Don't come any closer!"

"Come on, just give me your hand, I'll pull you back over," He said as he took a few steps towards me. "No," I said and he stopped, "Stay where you are. Don't come any closer, I mean it, I'll let go." I glanced back to the water as I hang further over the ship. I glanced back at him and he took one final drag from his cigarette he had lit and signaled to me that he was going to threw it overboard. He took a few more steps and threw it.

He then, dogged his hands into his pants' pockets and stared at me, "No, you won't," He said. "What do you mean 'no I won't'?" I repeated, "Don't presume to tell me what I will and will not do, you don't know me."

He shrugged, "You would have done it already," He said. "You're distracting me, go away," I said. "I can't. I'm involved now," He said, "You jump in there -" He took his coat off, "- And I'm gonna have to jump right in there after you."

I stared at the mysterious man with disbelief, "Don't be absurd," I said and he started to take off his shoes, "You'd be killed."

"I'm a good swimmer," He said. "The fall alone would kill you," I stated. "It would hurt. Not saying it wouldn't, but to be honest, I'm a lot more concerned with that water being so cold," He said.

I glanced back down before back at him, "How cold?" I asked. "Freezing," He answered, "Maybe a couple degrees under." I watched as he took off both his shoes and stood up straight, "You ever - uh - you ever been to Wisconsin?" I frowned at him, "What?"

"Well, they have some of the coldest winters around, I grew up there near Chippewa Falls," He informed, "I remember when I was a kid, me and my father used to go ice fishing out on Lake Wissota. Ice fishing is where you -"

"I know what ice fishing is," I cut him off, rolling my eyes. He hold his hands up in defense, "Sorry," He apologized before gesturing to my dress, "You just seemed like more of an . . . indoor girl. Anyway, I fell through some thin ice and let me tell you." He rested his arms on the railing close to me and glanced down at the water, "Water that cold like right down there, it hits you like a thousand knives all over your body. You can't breathe, can't think at least not about anything but the pain."

I swallowed and he looked back at me, "Which is why I'm not looking forward to jumping in there after ya'," He said before taking off his vest, "But like I said; I don't have a choice." He put it down and spoke softly, "I guess I'm just kind of hoping you'll come back over the railing and get me off the hook here."

"You're crazy," I said before looking away from him. "That's what everyone says," He said before leaning over, "But with all due respect, Miss, I'm not the one hanging off the back of a ship here." He reached out his hand for me, "Come on, you don't wanna do this."

I swallowed slowly as I glanced at his hand before I hesitantly took it. I slowly turned around and we looked at each other. "Phew," He said in relief, "I'm Jack Dawson."

"Alexis DeWitt Bukater," I introduced myself. "I'm gonna need you to write that down," He joked and for the first time in forever, I actually giggled. He started to help me climb back over the rail when the train of my dress got caught underneath my heel and I slipped. I let out a scream as I felt myself fall, but Mr. Dawson's hand saved me from falling into the icy water.

"I got you! You're going to have to pull yourself back up," He said. I attempted to do as he said but found my arm slipping again, and I screamed again, "Help me!" I felt myself get pulled back up before I landed on the deck of the Titanic, shaking and in tears.

"You stand back and don't move an inch!"

"Fetch the master of arms!"

A thick Scottish accent yelled and I realized how bad this situation looked; a young third class man was hovering over a young first class woman who was shaking, crying, screaming for help and had her dress torn and above her knees.

... ...

After a little while, I was sitting on the deck wrapped in a blanket and watched the Master of Arms but handcuffs on Mr. Dawson. I got up and opened my mouth to stop him from arresting him but then I saw Rose and Caledon approaching over.

"Alexis!" Rose called in relief as she rushed over to me. "Rose," I said and she pulled me into a tight hug, which I immediately returned. "Are you alright?" She asked as we pulled away and she looked me over, "Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm fine, really," I assured her before Caledon approached Mr. Dawson, who kept looking at me. "What made you think you could lay a hand on my fiancé's sister?" Caledon demanded in disgust, but Mr. Dawson's eyes never left mine. "Look at me, you filth!" Caledon demanded.

"Cal," I called and he glanced at me, "It was an accident." Rose frowned, and she and Caledon shared a look before back at me. "An accident?" Caledon asked. "Yes, I was leaning far over and I slipped," I said, "I would've gone overboard if Mr. Dawson here hadn't saved me."

"Was this the way of it?" The Master of Arms asked Jack and I looked at him with pleading eyes, hoping he will agree.

"Yep, that was pretty much it," Jack agreed, staring at me. I glanced down, blushing slightly and Rose let out a breath. "Well the boy's a hero then," Colonel Gracie, who came outside with Caledon and Rose said, "Good for you, son. Well done." The Master of Arms took the handcuffs off of Jack. "All good as well, shall we go back to the brandy?" Colonel Gracie asked.

Caledon turned to me again as Rose rubbed my arms through the blanket, "You must be freezing," He said, "Let's get you inside." He placed a hand on my lower back and started to lead me and Rose back inside.

"Perhaps maybe a little something for the boy?" Colonel Gracie asked and the three of us stopped. Caledon glanced at me and Rose before back to Colonel Gracie, nodding, "Yes, of course." He turned to Lovejoy, "Um, Mr. Lovejoy, I think twenty should do it."

I rolled my eyes but Rose had something else in mind, "I have a better idea." She turned to Jack, "Mr. Dawson, I would like you to join us tomorrow for dinner. I hope you will accept the invitation."

Jack smiled and glanced at me, "I will love to," He said before looking at my sister, "Thank you." Rose smiled before walking back to me and Caledon. I smiled at her as she wrapped her arms around me, "Let's get you warm up." She lead me away with Caledon. I glanced back over my shoulder to meet Jack's eyes and he smiled a little at me. I blushed again as I turned back around, walking inside.


	3. Ch 3 - Teach Me

The next day, I was walking outside, and along the many decks it took to get to the third class area. I walked down the stairs to the third class and spotted Mr. Dawson with a little girl and two men that were with him when we first stared at each other.

"You just need -" The man that was standing with the other one in front of Mr. Dawson, who had his back facing me, glanced at me, "An angel." He and his friend stared at me in shock as I came over. "I prefer to be call Alexis," I said with a smile and Mr. Dawson turned to see me.

"Yes. Sorry," The man said as Mr. Dawson put the girl down and she walked away. "I was hoping you wouldn't mind if I took Mr. Dawson away from you for a little while," I told Mr. Dawson's two friends.

"No, no, we are okay with it," The second man with an Irish accent said, "Take him as long as you like." The first man patted Mr. Dawson's shoulder before pushing him slightly to my direction.

"Thank you," I said. Mr. Dawson gathered his belongings that he had with him, which consisted of a brown leather book. I gave his friends one last smile before turning around, but then I glanced back just in time to see him hitting both his friends because they were still staring at me, but they both looked at each other in amazement.

We walked around the perimeter of the boat, which was the first class deck, and I listened to his life story, which was very sad but interesting. "Well, Alexis, we have walked about a mile around this boat and chewed about how great the weather's been and how I grew up but I don't think that's why you wanted to talk to me, is it?"

"Mr. Dawson, I -"

"Jack," He interrupted. I smiled slightly, "Jack, I wanted to thank you for what you did. Not just for pulling me back, but for your digression."

"You're welcome," He replied. I let out a sigh as I looked around, "Look, I know what you must be thinking," I said, "Poor little rich girl, what does she know about misery." We stopped walking and I turned to him as he spoke, "No. No that's not what I was thinking. What I was thinking was; what could have happened to this girl to make her think she had no way out."

I let out a breath as I leaned with him at the railing, "It was just my whole life. Plunging ahead of me and I'm powerless to stop it," I informed, "I mean look at me. I am basically dressed as a doll. The only thing I was thinking about is, why does my mother do this to me? My whole life is planned out for me and I have no say. When we arrive in New York, I will probably be married off within a year. I have a suitor who is extremely rich and has taken interest in me, and once we get to America, I will have to meet him."

"Do you think you'll love him?" Jack asked. I huffed, "Excuse me?" I asked with disbelief of his rudeness. "Do you think you'll love the guy or not?" He asked. I opened my mouth to answer but I knew I will never love the man. He was in his 30's who owned gold mines.

"This is absurd," I said, "I don't know you, and you don't know me. We are not having this conversation at all. You are rude and uncouth and presumptuous, and I am leaving now. Jack - Mr. Dawson, I sought you out to thank you and now I did -"

"And you've insulted me," He teased. "Well, you deserved it," I said, letting a small smirk slip to my lips. "Right," He said and I copied him, "Right."

"I thought you were leaving," He said with a smirk. "I am," I said and turned around but then froze before turning back to him, "God you are so annoying." He chuckled as I turned back around but then I turned back to him, "Wait, I don't have to leave. This is my part of the ship, you leave."

He grinned and laughed, "Well, well, well, now who's being rude?" I opened my mouth to retorted back but nothing came so I just closed my mouth before grabbing the brown leather book he was carrying. "What is this book you carrying around?" I asked, "What are you an artist or something?" I sat down on one of the opened deck chairs as I looked through his drawings, which were quiet amazing.

Jack sat down on the chair next to me as I stared at the drawings. "Those are . . . very good, actually," I muttered. There was one drawing of a young woman breast-feeding her newborn child, "Jack . . ." I looked at another of a man hugging a little girl, "This is very good."

"Well, they didn't think too much of them in old Paris," Jack said. "Paris?" I asked with a surprise tone that I didn't meant for it. "You do get around for p - I-I mean, for a guy of limited means -"

"Go on," He said, letting out a chuckle, "Poor guy. You can say it." I blushed slightly and went to turn the page. I raised an eyebrow at the drawing of a young woman, posing upon a bed with a cigarette in her mouth, wearing absolutely nothing. "Well, well, well," I said before flipping through the next page to see another drawing of the naked woman. I glanced at Jack, "These were drawn from life?"

He nodded, "Well, that's one of the good things about Paris. Lot's of girls are wiling to take their clothes off." I raised an eyebrow at him before rolling my eyes with a chuckle. I looked back and flipped to the next page, "You like this woman," I stated, "You used her several times."

"Well, she had beautiful hands," He said, pointing at the woman's hands, "You see?" I smiled teasingly, "I think you must have had a love affair with her."

"No, no, no," He disagreed, laughing, "Just with her hands." I scoffed before flipping to another page and froze. There was a beautiful woman with dark-brown long hair, looking up.

That was me

I glanced at Jack to see he was glancing at the drawing and then away, clearing his throat. "You drew me?" I asked in surprise. He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, "Well, I-I, just saw you and thought . . . You know."

I glanced back at the drawing with a soft smile, "You made me look beautiful," I said. "That's because you are," He said and I looked back at him to see he was staring at me. I glanced back down, blushing, "You have a gift," I said, "You do. You see people."

"I see you," He said and I smiled softly, not daring to look back at him as I felt he was still staring at me. "And?" I asked. "You wouldn't have jumped," He said and I finally looked back at him to see he was smiling at me.

"Come on," He said, taking his drawings book from me before holding his hand to me as he got up. I took it as I got up and he lead me around. We were enjoying a walk down the upper decks while the first class passengers were around, talking and doing their boring business, not paying any attention to me and Jack.

"What led you to be on this ship?" I asked. "Well, I didn't care to much for all that Dadaism and Cubism in the paintings in France," He explained, "It just had no heart to it."

I chuckled, "I like some of it," I said. "Really?" He asked, surprised, "Paris for me was more about living on the streets and trying to put it on paper. You know what I mean?"

I nodded slowly and he continued, "Well, people in France didn't like that. In art. So I've been trying to go back home to America for about a year now and try my luck there." I smiled softly before letting out a soft sigh, "You know, my dream had always been to just run away," I admitted, "Just to be free." I bit my lower lip before glancing back at Jack as we stopped at the railing to out at the setting sun, "So, where exactly have you been? Aside from Paris."

"Well, before that, I worked on a squid boat in Monterey, and then I went down to Los Angeles to the pier in Santa Monica," He informed, "There I would start doing portraits there for ten cents of piece."

I shook my head, "Why can't I be like you, Jack?" I asked, "You just head out for the horizon whenever you feel like it . . . Say we go there sometimes to that pier, even if we only ever just talk about it . . ."

"No, we'll do it," He said, "We'll drink cheap beer, we'll ride on the roller coaster until we throw up." I laughed at the image and he continued, "And then we'll ride horses on the beach. Right in the surf, but you'll have to do it like a read cowboy. None of that sidesaddle stuff."

I stared at him in shock, "You mean one leg on each side?" I asked, nervously. "Yeah," He confirmed. "Would you teach me?" I asked, "Sure," He agreed, "If you'd like to."

I smiled, "Teach me to ride like a man," I said. "And chew tobacco like a man," He added with a terrible attempt at a southern accent, which made me giggle. "And, spit like a man," I said, using my southern accent.

"What? They didn't teach you that in finishing school?" He asked, grinning. "No," I said, chuckling. "Well, c'mon, I'll show you," He said and my smile faded. "Let's do it."

"W-what?" I asked. "I'll show you how," He said, grinning as he gently took me by the wrist, "Come on."

"Jack, no," I said as he led me over to where the railing was right above the water, "Wait, Jack. I couldn't possibly -"

"Watch closely," Jack said, pointing a finger at me before turning back to the water. He hacked up a large amount of saliva in his mouth, and spat it all out into the ocean.

"That's disgusting," I said. "Alright, your turn," He said. I glanced around before spitting daintily. "That was pitiful," He said, "You really have to hack it back. Get some leverage to it, use your arms, arch your neck." With that he sent out another trail of goopy saliva.

"Did you see the range on that one?" He asked and I giggled before I did as he told me and let out a mid sized strand of saliva out into the ocean. "That was better, you got to work on it," He said, "You really got to hack it up."

I chuckled before glancing behind us to see my mother, Rose, Molly and two other rich women were staring at us. I hit Jack's arm as he was about to spit and he glanced at me before turning around to follow my gaze.

He swallowed the spit he had in his mouth and I took a step towards my mother, "Mother, may I introduce to you, Jack Dawson," I said. "Charmed, I'm sure," Mother said, looking at him before glancing at me. I glanced at Rose and she smirked at me, raising an eyebrow. I glanced down, hiding back a smile.

"Mr. Dawson is the one that saved Alexis last night from falling," Rose told our mother and friends. "I've invited him for dinner tonight. He'll join us at the table."

"Does he now?" Mother asked, sending a look at both me and my sister. I glanced down, knowing she didn't like Jack already while the other women were quite friendly and polite to him.

"Well, Jack, sounds like you a good man to have around when in a sticky spot," Molly said and Jack smiled. A steward began to blow a bugle, signaling to the first class passengers that it was suppertime. "Why do they always insist in announcing dinner like a damn cavalry charge?" Molly asked in amusement. I chuckled before Rose turned to our mother, "Shall we go dress, mother?"

Mother nodded and Rose linked her arm with mine as I turned to Jack, as she pulled me with her away, "See you at dinner, Jack." He waved goodbye to me before I turned around and let Rose lead me away.


	4. Ch 4 - The Dinner

Rose walked into my room as Julia helped me with my dress. "Done," Julia said, stepping away. I let out a soft sigh and Rose smiled, "Look at you." I smiled softly at her and she placed her hands on my shoulders, "All pretty for Mr. Dawson," She teased, making me blush.

"Rose," I whined quietly but my maid and my sister just giggled. "It's clear to me that you like him," Rose said. I glanced down, trying to hid my red cheeks, "I'm not."

"You can fool me, dear sister," She said with a smile. "Mother doesn't seem to like Jack," I muttered. Rose sighed, nodding, "Yes, it's seem like it," She agreed sadly, "But don't worry about that."

"She's right, miss," Julia spoke, making both me and my sister to look at her. "I mean, you never really listen." Rose and I let out a chuckle and she continued, "You should listen to your heart. I can see that just by thinking about Jack, you smile and blushing."

"No I'm not," I disagreed, looking down. "Mmmm-mmm," Rose hummed sarcastically and I rolled my eyes, but couldn't help but to let a small smile escape my lips. "Oh yes," Rose said, turning to Julia, "She doesn't have any feelings to this man at all." The three of us let out a chuckle before I let out a soft sigh, smiling.

After finally Rose and I finished getting ready, we went to meet Caledon and our mother outside and then headed to the fancy dinner hall. Mother was walking in first, with Caledon and Rose behind her with their arms linked, and I was behind them, looking around for Jack.

We all walked down the steps and I stopped when I saw Jack standing at the bottom of the stairs, he was wearing a first class suit and had his hair slicked back with gel. He gave Rose a nod and she smiled before nodding up the stairs to my direction, before walking past with Caledon and mother, who both didn't pay any attention to him.

Jack turned back and meet my eyes. I smiled softly as he stared at me, making my cheeks slightly turn pink. I walked down the stairs towards him, and he took my hand, gently kissing it.

"I saw that in a Nickelodeon once, and I always wanted to do it," He whispered, letting out a smile. I giggled before he offered me his arm. I smiled and linked my arm with his before he stocked out his chin, making me giggle as he lead me over to mother, Rose and Caledon.

"Mother, Rose, Caledon," I said, making the three turn to me and Jack, "You remember Mr. Dawson." Caledon looked at him up and down, "Dawson?" He chuckled, "It's amazing, you could almost pass for a gentleman."

"Almost," Jack replied. "How extraordinary," Caledon muttered and I rolled my eyes before smiling at Rose, who smirked at me and Jack, and she gave me a quick wink before Caledon offered his arm to her and they walked away with mother.

I gave a small smile to Jack before we both followed them to D-Deck. After we walked down the stairs, I gave Jack the brief synopsis of the people around. "There's the Countess of Rothes," I said, nodding to the woman that was with mother, Rose and Molly earlier. "And . . . That's John Jacob Astor, the richest man on the ship." I discreetly pointed to the man in his early thirties, escorting by his wife Madeline, who was at Rose's age. "His little wife, Madeline. She's at Rose's age." I looked back at Jack, "And in delicate condition." I looked back at the couple, "See how she's trying to hide it?"

Jack smirked as Madeline kept her hands over her stomach. "Quite the scandal," I said as I looked back at Jack before away to another man, "And, that's Benjamin Guggenheim and his mistress, Madame Aubert. Mr. Guggenheim is at home with their children, of course. And over here, we have Sir Cosmo, and Lucile, Lady Duff-Gordon. She designs naughty lingerie, among her many talents." The couple waved to me and I waved them back with a smile as Jack let out a chuckle. I looked back at Jack with a smile, "Very popular with the royals."

Molly approached to us, dressed in a beautiful dress, "Alexis, darling, look at you," She said with a smile and I smiled at her as well. "You look stunning than ever."

"Thank you, Molly, you look beautiful," I complimented. "Thank you dear," She said before turning to Jack, "Care to escort one more lady to dinner?"

"Certainly," Jack said before offering his other arm to her. I smiled as she took it and then she turned to me, "I hope you fine to share your man with me," She teased. I smiled, "With you? I don't mind," I said and she laughed.

We started to walk to the dinning room as Molly spoke to Jack, "Ain't nothing to it, is there Jack?" He shook his head and she continued, "Now remember, they love money, so just pretend like you own a goldmine, and you're in the club." I smiled softly at the kind woman as she assured him.

"Hey, Astor," Molly called as we saw John and Madeline. The two smiled at us, "Well, hello Molly," John said warmly, "Nice to see you."

"J.J., Madeline, I'd like you to meet Jack Dawson," I introduced. "How do you do?" Madeline asked as she shook her hand with Jack's. "Pleasure," He said. "Hello, Jack," John said as he shook hands with Jack, and he frowned, "Are you of the Boston Dawson's?"

"No, the Chippewa Falls Dawson's, actually," Jack said. "Oh yes," John said before we said goodbye and walked away. I smiled softly at Jack, I could tell he was nervous ever since I saw him by the staircase. But now, he was easily getting into the roles of being first class actor.

Everyone else so far assumed Jack was one of us - or to say, like them; the heir to a wealthy railroad fortune, maybe. Obviously of new money, but still member of high society. So far, everything was going well.

We sat down for dinner at an opened table. I sat between mother and Caledon while Jack was sitting opposite me with Molly, and Rose sat between Caledon and Mr. Andrews. As soon as the Countess, Mr. Guggenheim and Madame Aubert, Mr. Ismay, Colonel Gracie, and the Astor's joined us, mother spoke to Jack, "Tell us of the accommodations in steerage, Mr. Dawson. I hear they're quite good on this ship."

"Best I've seen so far, ma'am," Jack said, "Hardly any rats." Everyone at the table laughed and I smiled before it slowly faded away when Caledon spoke, "Mr. Dawson is joining us from third class. He was of some assistance to Alexis."

"It turns out that Jack is quite of an artist," I complimented, "He was kind enough to show me some of his work today."

"Rose, Alexis and I have differ somewhat in our definition of fine art," Caledon said as he took a bread roll from a waiter who was passing a tray around and looked at Jack after, "Not to impute your work, sir." Jack shook his head, waving him off.

"So, Mr. Dawson, where is it that you live?" Rose asked and I smiled. "Well, right now, my address is the RMS Titanic," Jack said, "After that, I'm on god's good humour."

"And how is it you have means to travel?" Mother asked. "I work my way from place to place," Jack replied, "You know, on tramp steamers and such, but I won my ticket on Titanic here in a lucky hand in poker." He looked at me, "A very lucky hand." I glanced down, smiling as I felt my cheeks turn pink slightly again.

"And you find that sort of ruthless existence appealing, do you?" Mother asked in disgust before taking a sip of her champagne. Molly glared at her before looking at Jack as he spoke, "Well, yes ma'am. I do . . . I mean, I got everything I need right here with me. I got air in my lungs, a few blank sheets of paper. I mean, I love walking up in the morning not knowing what's gonna happen or, who I'm gonna meet, where I'm gonna wind up. Just the other night, I was sleeping under a bridge and now here I am on the grandest ship in the world having champagne with you fine people."

Everyone chuckled and Jack continued, "I figure life's a gift and I don't intend on wasting it. You don't know what hand you're gonna get dealt next. You learn to take life as it comes at you - here you go Cal." He tossed Caledon, who had a cigarette in his lips, a lighter. "To make each day count."

"Well said, Jack," Molly said. "Here, here!" Colonel Gracie agreed. I smiled and raised my glass of champagne for a toast, "To make it count," I declared. "To make it count," Everyone agreed, raising their glasses as well. Jack could only smile as he raised his glass as well.


End file.
